About ISON Blog

Comet ISON is a sungrazing comet on its maiden voyage to the inner solar system, and has the potential to put on quite a show in 2013 if it survives its close encounter with the Sun.

ISONblog draws on the expertise of the astronomers and staff of the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of the science mission of the Hubble Space Telescope, to bring you unique analysis and original images of Comet ISON during its visit to our skies.

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There has been some speculation among astronomers that as Comet ISON approaches the Sun, it may break up into pieces. ISON, the type of comet known as a "sungrazer," will pass extremely close to our star. Current projections of the comet's path bring it within 700,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) of the Sun.

Many people think that the Sun's heat would be the source of a break-up, but that's not the case. The powerful gravity of the Sun, acting on the comet, could tear it apart. Whether that happens or not depends on the comet's strength and composition.

If ISON is strong enough — meaning it is pretty tightly packed — it may hold together as it passes, but if it is a loose collection of rocks, ice and dust, it could be easily pulled apart.